'Snails pace' planning system producing millions of additional tonnes of carbon - Minister.
Announcing two new renewable energy schemes John Hutton, Secretary of State for Business, says it is unacceptable it can take ten years from an application for a wind farm being made to energy being delivered to the grid.
Giving the green light for Wave Hub deep-sea socket off Cornwall and the Teesside offshore wind farm off Tees Mouth, John Hutton said that, in order to make significant reductions in the UK's carbon emissions, the planning system must undergo radical reform.
"We are frustratingly close to a dramatic escalation of renewable energy in the UK but it's being held back by a snail's pace planning system."
"It's no good saying renewable energy is good in principle but not in practice. Yes, it means difficult, hard choices.
"The successful delivery of the proposed reforms to our planning system, which the Government set out in its Planning White Paper earlier this year, will, I believe, be the key determinant in whether we have a realistic chance of meeting our 2020 renewable goals."
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